Natural hazards · Swarthmore

Swarthmore, PA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Swarthmore comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 13 claims here since 1978. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarations

Expected damage

How exposed is Swarthmore?

Very low

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Swarthmore to be higher than in 17% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding57%Heat waves10%Earthquakes9%Tornadoes7%Cold waves6%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Swarthmore faces

Each hazard’s share of the damage FEMA expects here, and how that compares with the rest of the country.

Inland flooding

57% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 31% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Heat waves

10% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 16% of U.S. places

Recorded about 11 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

9% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 66% of U.S. places

Tornadoes

7% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 50% of U.S. places

Cold waves

6% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 37% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.

Flood insurance claims

Does Swarthmore flood?

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Swarthmore, from FEMA’s records.

13paid claims since 1978

$117Kpaid to owners

2homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Hurricane Isaias: 2 claims, $30K
Hurricane Floyd: 1 claim, $4K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Swarthmore isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Delaware County.

Disasters that hit Swarthmore

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Swarthmore itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the Borough of Swarthmore.

Brought FEMA money into SwarthmoreDeclared for Delaware County only

2021

Remnants of Hurricane Ida

31 households applied for aid $4K aid approved

2011

Tropical Storm Lee

2 households applied for aid $4K aid approved

2011

Hurricane Irene

11 households applied for aid $14K aid approved

2004

Severe Storms and Flooding

1 household applied for aid

Delaware County has had 20 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and floods.

Around Swarthmore

Swarthmore and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Ridleymostly inland floodingLow

Nether Providencemostly inland floodingVery low

Swarthmoremostly inland floodingVery low

Springfieldmostly inland floodingVery low

About these numbers

How to read this page

An average, not a forecastFEMA’s National Risk Index estimates the damage 18 kinds of natural hazards cause in a typical year, from decades of records and models. A quiet decade can follow a bad year.

Compared by rate“Higher than N%” compares yearly damage as a share of what’s here, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings. Swarthmore covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Swarthmore’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the Borough of Swarthmore. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

FEMA’s expected losses across Swarthmore total about $1.5M a year, counting buildings, people and crops.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.